Stuck in traffic? Call ‘0’—Tahaad Pettiford to get you to the destination. That has been the reputation of the Auburn Tigers’ star. He did it for the 2025 number one seed, Auburn, unlocking the opposition defense, scoring with ease while stars stifled, and winning the games as a starter or as a reserve. It didn’t matter to him. He just wants to win and knows how to get ‘W’. And impressively, he did so as a freshman.

“He’s a special freshman” Auburn’s All-American forward Johni Broome said “He steps up to the challenge a lot of the time for us. That’s what you expect out of a guy like him.” Scoring 21 at Kentucky to clinch the Southeastern Conference, 21 against Houston and Kentucky, and 20 against Duke are some of his highlights that back up Broome’s claims. Tahaad delivered in the big dance too, bailing out the contender team with his gameplay.

Auburn coach Bruce Pearl also has a lot of faith in the youngster. “I’ll roll with Tahaad all day every day,” Pearl said following the Tennessee loss, a game in which Pettiford was scoreless and shot 0-for-8 from the field. This is clearly a sign of respect, that your HC still backs you on your terrible night. You gotta earn it, and Tahaad has earned it with his consistency in games.

For a freshman, Pettiford’s maturity and poise are two striking characteristics. He delivers against the toughest match-ups and even takes a second-fiddle role when his team is rolling. Entering the 2025 March Madness, Pettiford’s teammate Jones showed support and said, “I am least worried about him in March because I know he is going to handle the business. He is one of the best competitors I know”.

Here is how Pettiford built his reputation, right from the high school years, and how it affected his commercial value.

What are Tahaad Pettiford’s NIL deals as of 2025?

Recognizing the potential Tahaad Pettiford has, Under Armour signed an NIL deal with the Auburn star on March 7, 2025. The SLAM Magazine cover player joins several big-time sports athletes like Stephen Curry, Joel Embiid, Dwayne Johnson, and Jordan Spieth.

Along with Under Armour, Tahaad signed a NIL deal with Panini America. The world’s largest sports and entertainment collectibles company announced in 2024 that they had agreed to an “exclusive, multi-year partnership with six of the top high school basketball players in the country.” A five-star recruit, Tahaad Pettiford, was one of those six players. According to the statement released, the deal meant “trading cards and memorabilia” for each player.

Which high school did Tahaad Pettiford attend?

Pettiford grew up in Jersey City, New Jersey, and attended Hudson Catholic Regional High School. The star showed a glimpse of his abilities right from the start, making a name for himself as a lethal shooter and primary scorer for his team. Even though Tahaad missed most of his junior year because of injury, he made up for it with a country championship title in the next year. Pettiford received all-state third-team honors after averaging 18 points per game and leading the Hawks to a 23-3 overall record.

While the accolades kept coming, Tahaad Pettiford continued to rock on the court. With 15 games scoring 20+ points, one of his memorable outings was against Memorial High School in February 2024. He not only scored a career-high 43 points but reached a 1K-point mark in the game.

Tahaad closed out his four-year career at Hudson Catholic with 1,135 points, 160 assists, and 74 steals. Capping off an impressive career, he received a 2024 McDonald’s High School All-American and a place in the 2024 Jordan Brand Classic Boys National Team. Tahaad also played AAU basketball for New Heights Lightning on the Nike EYBL circuit in the summer of 2023. With 33.5 percent accuracy from the 3-point line, Pettiford averaged 13.3 points per game.

His eye-catching performances made him a top recruit and was rated the No. 2 point guard in the Class of 2024 by 247 Sports. He was the No. 21 overall player from the class and chose Auburn over UConn, UCLA, Kentucky, and Kansas.

What is Tahaad Pettiford’s net worth and salary?

Tahaad Pettiford is still developing into an elite player and is yet to have a professional contract with any franchise. Likewise, Tahaad doesn’t draw any salary as per the NCAA regulations. There is no information about his net worth available in the public domain. His earnings are mainly from his NIL deals, which are expected to grow with his performances on the basketball court.

Stay tuned for updates on Tahaad Pettiford’s net worth, salary, and deals.